Man found dead with hands and legs bound

KOTA KINABALU - A man was found dead, with his hands and legs bound, and mouth covered with a piece of cloth in Menggatal, near here, yesterday. There were also wounds on his neck.

Police identified the deceased as Ibnu Panaharan, 29. They believed he was killed elsewhere before his body was dumped into some bushes. He had been dead less than 24 hours when his body was discovered at 7am.

His body was discovered by two policemen who were doing a background check on a multi-purpose vehicle that was abandoned by the road, near a water tank, at Kampung Binaung Baru.

City police chief Assistant Commissioner Jauteh Dikun said police had classified the case as murder. They believed more than one person was involved, he added.

"The vehicle belongs to the dead man's relative. The deceased had driven it from Sandakan to send his aunt here earlier," said Jauteh, who added that no weapons were found at the scene.

"He was found face down on the ground with his hands and legs tied and mouth covered. There were also deep wounds inflicted on the front and back of his neck. "His body was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for a post-mortem.

"So far, no arrests have been made."

The vehicle, which was about 50m from where the body was found, was towed to the Menggatal police station, he said.

He added that police had yet to determine the motive behind the murder.